Preparation for typhoons, flooding urged

This was the message of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to the public for the country’s 2017 celebration of the annual Typhoon and Flood Awareness Week (TFAW) this month.

“Science-based information for safer nation against typhoon and flood” is the 2017 theme of TFAW that’ll run from June 19 to 24.

“The rainy season commenced already so all of us must prepare for tropical cyclones, flooding and even landslides,” said PAGASA weather services chief Dr. Esperanza Cayanan Friday on the side of the agency’s TFAW kick-off ceremony in Metro Manila.

She urged such preparation to help better protect life, limb and property.

Typhoons and other TCs can still strike the Philippines in forthcoming days even if none occurred in the country since May this year, she said.

For 2017, PAGASA forecast within the Philippine Area of Responsibility one to two TCs in June, two to three TCs in July, two to four TCs in each of August and September, one to three TCs in October and one to two TCs in November.

Presidential Proclamation 1535 series of 2008 declared as TFAW the third week of June that year and the same period annually thereafter to help raise public awareness about and action on typhoons as well as flooding and other related hazards.

The proclamation authorized PAGASA “to undertake appropriate information education and communication activities in connection therewith” with support from other government agencies, Philippines Science Journalists Association, Inc. and the private sector including non-stock and non-profit organization Typhoon Committee Foundation, Inc.

“PAGASA’s thunderstorm and rainfall warning systems are institutionalized already – the challenge is how the public reacts to warnings given,” PAGASA Office of the Administrator OIC Catalino Davis said at the kick-off ceremony, highlighting need to prepare for rainfall, flooding and related events.

He assured PAGASA’s continuing efforts to further enhance its products and services so this agency can help better protect the public.